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Fast Summer Shades

You could be forgiven for thinking you had just bought a very expensive pair of designer Euro sunglasses when you first open the Tralyx case.

The Rudy Project Tralyx sunglasses are made in Italy and the style is unmistakable. The case is rock solid and has an intricate print that projects flair and elegance. When I first got my hands on the new glasses it took me a while to get over the packaging, and then I thought to myself, 'If the packaging is this good, how awesome are the glasses going to be?!'

The Rudy Project Tralyx are race eye-wear. They look mean and fast. The frame shape has been totally redesigned based on wind testing to optimise airflow, and I imagine a slight focus on improving aerodynamics as well. There are large vents above the lens and at each corner of the frame which allow a lot of air through.

The frame and lenses are relatively small in comparison to some other manufacturers frames that have been released of late, which leads me to think Rudy Project have strategically focused on the racing demographic here. These aren't the type of sunglasses you would wear on a frosty morning as the improved airflow which works so well in the heat allows too much fresh air onto your face in the cold. The Rudy Project Ergo Marsk and the Air Blast have much fuller profiles and would be more suited to the colder mornings, but if racing is your thing, the Tralyx are the way to go.

The first thing I noticed about the Tralyx is they sit quite high on your face. When standing stationary this isn't ideal as you can see the bottom of the lens (which my OCD struggled to cope with), but once you start cranking those pedals it all becomes clear (no pun intended).

Having the glasses sitting slightly higher enables you to see more from the top part of the lens, which the riding position requires. As soon as you are riding and looking up the road, your whole field of vision becomes very clear, and given the supreme lack of weight in the frame you'll forget you're wearing them.

The test pair had the Multilaser Orange lens created for sunny days, but I think you can get away with wearing them in all but pitch black conditions. The clarity of the lens is something to behold. They are so clear on my first ride I hit them twice after going to scratch my eye thinking I forgot to put them on. The Multilaser Orange is perfectly matched with the Yellow Fluro Gloss but you can customise the frame and lens if they aren't exactly your style. You can also take advantage of the lens simulator on the website to check out the view from behind your shades before purchase. Very cool!

All of the usual bells and whistles come with the Tralyx: adjustable nose piece and temples, quick change for on-the-go adjustments and a huge variety of colour options. The Tralyx is the eye-wear of choice for pro tour riders from EuropCar, Astana, Bora-Argon 18, IAM and Ofidis teams, and Rudy Project is the sole provider of eye-wear to Team Lotto NL-Jumbo.

In addition to the performance features, there are two big ticks in my mind for the Tralyx - the price point and uniqueness. For such a top tier racing option the price is very affordable, meaning you can purchase a set of clear lenses or a fuller profile second pair for the cooler darker months. And they are not common. You won't see them on every second rider and you can stand out a little while still having confidence in the quality and performance of this model.